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Chapter 31: Cloud-Striding Lynx
Chapter 31: Cloud-Striding Lynx
Inside the Hall of a Hundred Herbs.
Lu Chen had walked through the market without any success, but he wasn't disappointed. Instead, he decided to pay a visit to He Guanshi.
"Lu boy, you're here?"
The thin, elderly man glanced at Lu Chen and then returned to his account books.
Lu Chen found a spot to sit down and watched as several young apprentices, around thirteen or fourteen years old, scurried about the hall, coming and going.
The spirit herbs that were collected had to go through several processes, and the apprentices were handling the most rudimentary steps.
This task didn't require much skill, so the Hall of a Hundred Herbs openly conducted it in the main hall without any concern for prying eyes.
"Come, have a cup of hot tea."
Before long, He Guanshi, having finished his immediate tasks, approached Lu Chen and handed him a cup of tea with a delicate green spirit tea floating on top.
As the spirit tea slid down his throat, its refreshing fragrance lingered in Lu Chen's nose, leaving a lasting impression.
"How are things going? Are the spirit herbs growing well? If they're not up to standard, your profits will take a hit."
The thin, elderly man asked with concern.
"They're doing great, even better than the last batch," Lu Chen replied with a smile. He knew that the quality of the spirit herbs in his fields not only affected his earnings but also reflected on He Guanshi's reputation to some extent, as it was he who had introduced Lu Chen to the Hall of a Hundred Herbs.
Hearing Lu Chen's response, He Guanshi breathed a sigh of relief, and the two chatted casually.
Suddenly, a woman rushed into the Hall of a Hundred Herbs, sobbing, her eyes red and swollen from crying for a long time. She clutched a child, who looked lost, his mouth hanging open as he allowed himself to be held tightly by the woman.
After asking a few questions, the woman entered the inner chambers of the hall, and He Guanshi, worried that something serious had occurred, followed suit.
Moments later, he returned to the main hall with a grave expression.
"There was an accident involving a spirit herb cultivator who had a cooperation agreement with our hall. His family has come to inquire about the subsequent handling of the spirit herbs."
"What happened?" Lu Chen asked.
"Apparently, a few people were invited to harvest spirit herbs in a secret realm, but they were unlucky and encountered an injured second-grade demonic beast. Two of the four people died on the spot, and the other two are also severely injured and hanging by a thread."
"What was the name of the spirit herb cultivator who had a relationship with the hall?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Chen couldn't help but think of Lei Fei, who had invited him to join them in the secret realm some time ago.
"His name was Lei Fei, and he was one of the two who perished. Do you know him?" He Guanshi asked.
As expected, Lu Chen received confirmation from He Guanshi that it was indeed Lei Fei, the spirit herb cultivator who had invited him before.
"They had tried to invite me to explore the secret realm with them, but I was worried about the spirit herbs in my fields, and I also feared encountering danger, so I declined," Lu Chen sighed.
"It's a good thing you didn't agree. Otherwise, you might have suffered the same fate," He Guanshi said.
"All I can say is that they brought this calamity upon themselves. To think that they would encounter a second-grade demonic beast in a secret realm that countless cultivators have entered before," Lu Chen replied.
"What will happen to the spirit herbs that he had contracted?"
"Since the spirit herb cultivator is dead, and his family isn't skilled in cultivating first-grade spirit herbs, the hall should take over according to the rules. We'll transplant the spirit herbs and provide some compensation to the family."
"But the compensation will be much lower than the value of mature spirit herbs. The family came here to beg for the hall to let them keep the remaining spirit herbs and cultivate them themselves."
He Guanshi didn't explicitly state how the matter would be handled, but from his expression, Lu Chen could guess what was likely to happen.
The Hall of a Hundred Herbs would undoubtedly prioritize their profits, and in the face of financial gain, a little bit of sentiment could easily be cast aside.
Lu Chen's determination to avoid putting himself in dangerous situations only strengthened. After all, if something happened to him, the spirit herbs in his fields would end up benefiting others for nothing in return.
With this incident, he no longer felt like savoring the spirit tea, so he quickly finished it and got up to leave.
...
"You want forty spirit stones for such a tiny Cloud-Striding Lynx? Are you insane?
Intrigued, Lu Chen approached the stall, his gaze drawn to a small iron cage in the corner.
The cage was crafted from an unknown material, its slender bars adorned with intricate patterns, emanating a chilling aura. Talisman seals were affixed to each corner, ensuring that whatever was inside couldn't escape.
Through the gaps in the bars, Lu Chen spied a tiny lynx within the cage.
The lynx's fur was a deep black, except for its four paws, which were as white as snow. When it stood, it looked as if it were treading on four fluffy clouds, hence the name "Cloud-Striding."
Its long ears stood erect, with tufts of white fur at the tips, resembling antennas.
The most striking feature, however, was its pair of emerald green eyes, coldly observing its surroundings.
Noticing Lu Chen's gaze, the battered-looking lynx bared its teeth and leaned forward slightly, as if ready to pounce.
"So it's considered a variant just because its eyes look nice? Then what about my Tie Xuan, does she count as a variant cultivator?" a nearby cultivator argued with the stall owner.
It was no wonder he was frustrated. Usually, a young Cloud-Striding Lynx like this would cost around twenty spirit stones. But the stall owner, upon noticing the lynx's unusual eye color, had hiked up the price to forty spirit stones.
"Forty spirit stones, and that's my final offer!" the stall owner declared stubbornly.
"Keep your so-called variant lynx then! It's so pretty, you can admire it all day!" the cultivator retorted before storming off.
"Ignorant fool," the stall owner scoffed.
"Fellow cultivator, may I ask how you acquired this lynx and what's the story behind its unusual eye color?" a gentle voice inquired.
Lu Chen turned to see a handsome young man with clear eyes standing by the cage, addressing the stall owner.
"I obtained it with a companion after a lot of trouble in a secret realm," the stall owner replied.
"The Cloud-Striding Lynx is a first-rate spirit beast, known for its agility, silence, and decent attack power. This young one is also unique compared to ordinary Cloud-Striding Lynxes. Its eyes may possess some extraordinary abilities when it matures."
"What do you think, fellow cultivator?"
"How about thirty spirit stones?" Lu Chen offered, his tone suggesting he was used to haggling.
"Hmph," the stall owner crossed his arms, unmoved by Lu Chen's offer.
"You claim it's a variant lynx, but what's your basis for that? Are you judging solely by its unusual eye color?" Lu Chen asked.
"You should know that variant beasts are extremely rare, and the chances of a first-rate beast being a variant are slim to none. These green eyes could simply be the result of some stimulus during embryonic development or exposure to a unique spiritual aura. To label it as a variant based on that alone seems rather arbitrary."
"Moreover, this lynx doesn't seem to be in the best condition. It probably sustained significant injuries during capture, and being confined in this cage without proper treatment or rest won't have helped. Its chances of survival are uncertain at this point."
"Thirty-six spirit stones, and that's the lowest I can go. We went through a lot of trouble to catch it, you know."
"Thirty-two spirit stones, and I'll take it off your hands right now," Lu Chen countered, knowing that his reasoning had convinced the stall owner, and also because he had taken a particular liking to the lynx with the emerald eyes.
"Alright, you drive a hard bargain. Let's make it thirty-two then," the stall owner agreed through gritted teeth. He knew that the chances of it being a variant were slim, and there was a risk of it not surviving if he kept it. Selling it for a significant profit over a regular Cloud-Striding Lynx was still a good outcome.
(End of Chapter)
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